Article of furniture



Oct. 31, 1933. H. E. DOW

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed May 7, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 31, 1933- H. E. DOW

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed May '7, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES ARTIGLE F FURNITURE Harry E. Dow, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey Application May I, 1931*. Serial No. 535,688

25 Claims;

This invention relates to articles of furniture and is herein illustrated as embodied in a combined table and drawing-board.

It is an object of the invention to provide a 3 drawing-table which will be adapted for normal useas a table in oil-ices, factories and elsewhere but which, when required, can readily be converted for use in drafting or other similar work where an inclined work-supporting surface is desirable or necessary. It is a further object of the invention to provide an .augularly adjustable drawing-board which can be readily located for operation in various inclined positions.

Accordingly, the invention provides a drawin table of novel construction in which there is a fixed section and a movable section ptvotally mounted upon the fixed section, one of the sections having therein a plurality of notches and an arm carried by the other of the sections and having a notch-engaging means for securing the movable section in various positions angularly of the fixed section, together with means operable in response to variations in the. direction of angular movement of .the movable section for guiding the notch-engaging means past one or more-0f the notches in either directionor for guiding. the notch-engaging means into a notch. .As illimtrated, the movable section'oonstitutesra drawingboard and comprises a flat plate provided with a bar in which there are located a series of notches which are adapted to co-operate with notch-engaging means in the form of a roll carried at the free end of the arm, there being a track parallel to and spaced from the bar to guide the roll past the notches when the movable section is elevated,

this track being in alinement with the bar en that the latter will operate to .guide the roll into. a

notch when the movable section is depressed. In addition to the track above referred to, there is in the illustrated table another trackextending from one end of the bar to the other for guiding the roll from a position beyond one end of the .series of notches to a position beyond the other end of the series of notches. Preferably there -15 is also provided friction means for holding the arm in elevated position when vthe roll is disengaged from a track to provide for the engagemerit of the roll with the other track or with the. bar upon reversal of the direction of angular movement of the movable section.

The construction above referred to provides a table comprising a movable section or drawingboard which, when such section is located in horizontal position, can be employed as a table in the usual manner, but which, by adjustment into an inclined position, is adapted to. use m rmakin drawings. The illustrated construction and arnangement of the bar and arm are such as to render the movable section quickly adjustable to and securable in any desired position merely by varying the direction of angular movement of the section, thus making it unnecessary for the operator to leave a position in front of the table.

Other objects and features of theinvention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and, will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings.

Eig. 1. is a side elevation of a drawing-table constructed according to one embodiment of the in.- vention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the table with the movable section in elevated position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the construction 01' the bracket; and

Fig. 4 is .a perspective view partly in section, showing details or the construction. ofthe drawins-board. V V

Figs. 1 and'z oil the drawings illustrate a drawlug-table comprising a fixed section or frame 10 made up of a plurality of plates preferably composed of sheet steel, the frame being supported upon legs 12. The table is provided with smooth top sections 14 and 16 between which is located a movable section 18. in the form of a flat plate mounted at its forward edge portion on pivots 20 carried bythe .flxed sections 14 and 16. The irame'lfi is cut away at the; front and back of the table (Fig. 2) to.providearecess, for the recaption or the movable section" mine rearrp'ortion of which may rest upon an inturned' flange 2; of the frame in which position the top surface of the section 18 will be flush with the upper surfaces of the fixed sectionsll and 16. When the section 18 is in such position the table can be utilized in the usual manner.

The movable section 18 constitutes a drawingboard and is constructed and arranged for movementabout its pivots 20 at the front of the table so that it can be tilted to assume various angular positions when such section is used as a drawingboard', means hereinafter described being provided for holding the section or drawing-board 18 in adjusted angular position.

To provide a rigid construction which will withstand considerable abuse, particularly when the section 18 is in raised position, the under side 1 portion of such section is provided with bracing all) in the form of channel sections 24 and 26 which extend diagonally across the plate 18 and a channel section 28 extending transversely thereof. These channel sections reinforce the under portion of the plate 18 to maintain its upper surface substantially in a plane, as is required of surfaces; to be used for drawing.

The device for holding the drawing-board in angular position comprises an arm 30 having a flanged roll 32 arranged for engagement with one or another of a series of notches 34 in the surface 35 of a bar 36 which forms part of a bracket 38 secured to the reinforcing channel section 28. The arm 30 is fixedly secured to a shaft 40 carried by a bracket 42 mounted upon a plate 44 which constitutes part of the fixed section or frame 16. The shaft 40 is held in the bracket 42 by means of a collar 46. Within the bracket 44 are positioned two fibre bushings 48 which surround the shaft 40 and are urged into frictional engagement with the shaft by setscrews one of which is indicated by reference character 50.. B tightening the set-screws 50 the bushings 48 can be forced against the shaft 40 with sufficient pressure that the arm 30 will be held stationary, against rotation by its own weight, in any angular position about the axis of the shaft 40 to which it may be moved manually. The roll 32 is loosely carried upon a spindle 52 (Fig. 3) extending through a bushing 54 forming part of the outer or free end of the arm 30, the roll being retained on the spindle by a head 56. The roll 32 is normally forced against the bushing 54 by a spring58 which surrounds the spindle and engages a nut 60 thereon and a washer 62 in contact with the bushing 54. The

spring 58 tends to force the spindle and roll to the left (Fig. 3) but permits limited lateral movement thereof axially of the bushing. The amount of such movement is limited by the nut 60 which can be adjusted as desired and can be locked in adjusted position b lock-nut 64.

The bar 36 is so located that, as the section 18 is rotated about its pivots 20; the bar will move substantially in a vertical plane intersecting the roll 32 in its position against the bushing 54, the axis of the shaft 40 being parallel to the plane of the section so that rotation of the arm 30 will result 'in movement of the roll 32 substantially in the vertical'plane referred to. That is, by relative rotation of the lever 30 and the plate 18, the roll can be brought into position to enter any one of the series of notches 34 in the bar 36, being guided toward such notches by portions of the surface 35 which form a track extending between the notches. When the roll enters a notch, the weight of the section 18 is supported by the arm 30, the notch being effective to lock the lever in position for supporting the board at an angle to the fixed top sections of the table.

The bracket 38 is constructed to guide the roll 32 so that under certain conditions the roll will be directed toward a notch and under other conditions will be guided past the notches as when themovable section or drawing-board 18 is lowered. To this end, the bracket is provided with a bar 66 extending throughout the greater part of its length parallel to the bar 36 and spaced laterally therefrom. The lower end of the bar 66 (Figs. 1 and 3) is bent inwardly toward the bar 36, so that its extreme end portion 68 lies in the same plane as the bar 36. The upper ends of the bars 36 and 66 are shaped to form a frog '70 which permits movement of the roll from the track 66 to the upper end '72 o the bar 36. The

bar 66 thus forms a track for the roll 32 effective under certain conditions to guide the roll past the notches 34 and into position in engagement with one or another of the ends of the bar 36. It is to be noted that the outer surface of the bar 66 is somewhat higher than the track 35 to provide for clearance of the end of the arm 30 when the roll 32 is in a notch. The bracket 38 is provided with a member in the form of a bar '74 the inner surface of which constitutes a track spaced outwardly from and lying in the same vertical plane as the bar 36, and extending parallel to it. This bar serves to retain the roll in operative relation to the bracket and also acts as a guide for moving the roll 32 past the notches 34 when the drawing-board is raised, as will be hereinafter disclosed.

Assuming that the drawing-board is in its lowermost position, that is, with its upper surface horizontal and flush with the fixed top sections 14 and 16, the roll 32 will then be located between the end '72 of the bar 36 and the bar '74. When the board is raised, the bar '74 will engage the roll 32 and will rotate the lever 30 about the axis of the shaft 40, the roll sliding along the track 75 from what is then its upper end toward its lower end. When the drawing-board has been raised approximately to the desired inclination, the operator moves it downwardly, thereby removing the roll from the bar '74 (the arm 30 being held stationary for the moment by the friction of the bushings 48) Downward movement of the board will cause the roll to engage the track 35 which will direct the roll into one of the notches 34 with the result that the board will be held fixed in inclined position. The board can be moved into other positions at greater inclinations merely by raising the board until the roll is removed from the notch engaged by it and until the bar '74 moves the roll adjacent to the next lower notch, whereupon the board is again moved downwardly until the roll engages the notch. When it is desired to lower the board, it is raised until the roll 32 guided by the bar 74 is brought opposite to the lower end portion 68 of the track 66. Depression of the board will then cause the roll 32 to be guided by the track 66 past the notches 34 until the board is in its lowermost position. However, if while lowering the board it is decided to secure it in inclined position, the board is raised slightly to remove the roll from the track 66. and the spring 58 will force the roll laterally until it is in alinement with the track 35. The board is then lowered until the roll engages one of the notches in the manner above indicated. As the board approaches its lowermost position while being lowered, the spring 58 will force the roll lat erally until it engages the frog '70 and crosses over from the track 66 to the end portion '72 of the bar 36. placing the roll in alinement with the bar '74 so that it can engage the bar when the board is again raised. It is to be noted that when the roll 32 is located at either end of the bar 36, the roll will be guided past one or all of the notches 34 upon continuous angular movement of the section 18 in either direction, thus making it possible to bring the section quickly into its extreme positions or to any desired intermediate inclined position.

Thus it will be seen that the construction above i l-5 described provides a device for supporting the movable section or drawing-board in various angular positions with the upper surface of the board extending at an inclination to the horizontal, that the construction of the bracket 38 and i its associatcdparts ls suchthat the board can be raised or lowered as required and locked in val-ate positions, andthat entire adjustment of the board can be made from the front thereof merely by varying the direction of the angular'movement of the board.

The movable section or drawing-board leis provided with a straight-edge 76 secured bysetscrews '78 to a continuous wire 80 which passes over pullws 82 mounted along the edge portions of the board, the arrsmgement being such that the straight-edge cen'be moved relatively to the surface of the board. To counterbalance the weight of the straight-edge 76 so that it will be held in fixed position when the draping-bested is inclined, there is provided a 84 secured to the wire 80 at 85 and passing over one of the pulleys 82 (shown at the righthand portion of Fig. 1) and over pulleys 86 88 carried by the frame, the end of the who being on the under side of the frame by a bracket 96. Carried by a loop portion of the wire 84 formed between the point of attachment to the bracket 90' and the pulley 88 is a, counter-weight 92 which introduces tension in the wire sufficient to balance the Weight of the straight-edge, while at the same time providing su-fiiclent yield in the system so that the movable section- 18 can be raised or lowered without disturbing the position of the straight-edge. It is to be noted that the clearance between the movable section 18 and the fixed sections 14 and 16 is sufficient to provide space for the pulleys 82, the set-screws 78 and the wires 86 and 84, all of which project somewhat beyond the edge portions of thesestion 18.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the movable section or drawing-board 18 comprises a fiat plate, preferably of steel, the working surface of which is covered by a layer of linoleum 94. This layer of linoleum provides a sufil-ciently hard surface for use in making drawings upon sheet material, such as a sheet of paper 96, positioned upon it, and at the same time is sufficiently yielding to receive and hold securing devices, such as wire staples one of which is indicated by reference character 98. The same material, that is, linoleum, may be used for covering the fixed sections 14 and l6 in order to males the top of the table uniform'l Theedges oftlbe plates loom-- ing the section is anfd other exposed portiormfof the table are given a finished appearance by the use of melding strips, such alt-molding strip 190, secured to flanged portions of the plates by screws 102.

Inthe usual operation of the device, the movable section or drawing-board 18, which is marmally flush with the fixed top sect'hms l4 and 16, istilted manually about its supporting fitvcts until it has been raised approximately to the dashed inclination, the arm being rotated about its axis at the time as aflresult es-engagementof the roll 32 with the track '25 onthe bar '74. The section 18 is then pressed downwardly until the roll 32 guided by the track 35 enters one of the notches 34 which serves tc lock the movable section in inclined position in which it is supported by the arm 30. When it is desired to lower the section 1'8, said section is raised slightly and the friction bushings 48 hold the lever 30 in fixed position until the roll 32 is out of engagement with the notch 31 in which it was positioned. The section is then raised until the roll 32 guided by the track reaches the lower extremity of the bar '74 alter which thesection is pushed downwardly with the result that the roll 32 guided by the track 66 is carried past the notches and the section can be lowered without interference until it rests upon the flange 22 of the frame.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:-

l. A drawing-table comprising a. fixed section, a movable section pivotally motmted upon the fixed section, one of the sections having therein a series of notches, an arm pivotally mounted upon other 01' said sections aml'having at its free end notch-engaging means co-opereble with the notches to hold the movable section selectively in various positions angularly of the fixed section, and means for guiding the notch-engaging means past the series of notches upon continued angular movement of the movable section in either direction.

2.. A drawing-table comprlsmg a fixed section, a movable section pivotally mounted upon the fixed section, one of the sections having therein a. series of notches, an arm pivotally mounted upon the other of said sections and having at its tree end notch-engaging means (so-operable with the notches to hold the movable section selectively in various positions angularly of the fixed section, means for guiding the notch-engaging means past one or more of the notches upon angular movement of the movable section in either direction, and means for guiding the notch-engaging means into a notch rendered operable in response to variations in the direction of movement of the movable section.

3. A drawing-table comprising a fused section, a movable section pivotally mounted upon the fixed section, one of the sections having therein a. series of notches, an arm pivotally mounted upon the other of said sections and having at its free end notch-engaging means co-operable with the notches to hold the movable section selectively in various positions angularly of the fixed section, means for guiding the notch-engaging means past one or more of the notches upon angular movement of the movable section in one direction, and means for guiding the notchemgagrng means into a notch operable upon reverslng the direction of movement of the movable section.

4. A drawing-table comprising a fixed section, a movable section pivotally mounted upon the fixed section, one of the sections having therein a. plurality of notches, an arm carried by the other of the sections and having notch-engaging means for securing the movable section in various positions angularly of the fixed section, and meansoperable in response to variations in the direction of angular movement of the movable section for guiding the notch-engaging meal-m great one or more of the notches in either direction or into a notch. V

5. A drawing-table comprising a fixed section, a movable section pivotally mounted upon the fixed section, an arm carried by one of the sections and movable into engagement with the other section for holding the movable section in various angular positions, and means operable in response to movements of the movable section for controlling the operation of the arm.

6. A drawing-table comprising a fixed section and a movable sect-ion pivotally mounted thereon, a bracket secured to one of said sections and having therein a plurality of notches, an arm pivotally mounted upon the other at said sections and having at its free end notch-engaging means cooperable with the bracket selectively to hold the movable section in various inclined positions, means under the control of the operator for guiding the notch-engaging means past one or more of the notches as the movable section is elevated or depressed, and means operable upon reversal of the direction of movement of said movable section to render the notch-engaging means effective to engage a notch.

'7. A drawing-table comprising a frame, a plate pivotally mounted upon the frame, a bar carried by the plate and having therein a plurality of notches, an arm pivotally mounted upon the frame and having at its free end notchengaging means, and tracks for guiding the notch-engaging means past the notches from one end of the bar to the other upon continued angular movement of the plate in either direction.

8. A drawing-table comprising a frame, a plate pivotally mounted upon the frame, a bar carried by the plate and having therein a plurality of notches, an arm pivotally mounted upon the frame and having at its free end notch-engaging means, tracks for guiding the notch-engaging means past the notches from one end of the bar to the other upon angular movement of the plate in either direction, and means for rendering the notch-engaging means effective to engage a notch.

9. A drawing-table comprising a frame, a plate pivotally mounted upon the frame, a bar carried by the plate and having therein a plurality of notches, an arm pivotally mounted upon the frame and having at its free end notch-engaging means, tracks for guiding the notch-engaging means past the notches upon continuous angular movement of the plate in either direction, and means for rendering the notch-engaging means operable to engage a notch in response to variations in the direction of movement of the plate.

10. A drawingtable comprising a fixed section, a movable section pivotally mounted upon the fixed section, a bar secured to one of the sections and having therein a plurality of notches, a track extending parallel to and spaced from the bar, and an arm pivotally mounted upon the other of said sections and having at its free end notch-engaging means located between the bar and the track in position to be guided by the track past one or more of the notches in the bar upon angular movement of the movable section in one direction or to be guided by the bar into a notch upon angular movement of the movable section in the opposite direction.

11. A drawing-table comprising a frame, a flat plate pivotally mounted upon the frame and having mounted thereon a bar containing a plurality of notches and a track parallel to the bar, and an arm pivotally mounted upon the frame and having at its free end notch-engaging means located between the bar and the track in position to be guided by the bar into one of the notches therein upon rotation of the plate in one direction or to be guided by the track past the notches upon rotation of the plate in the opposite direction.

12. A drawing-table comprising a frame, a drawing-board pivotally mounted on the frame and having on its under surface a bracket, means for holding the drawing-board in different inclined positions comprising an arm the lower end of whch is pivotally mounted on the frame and the upper end of which carries a roll adapted to engage notches in the bracket for locking the drawing-board in elevated position, and means associated with the bracket for guiding the roll past the notches.

13. A drawing-table comprising a frame, a flat plate pivotally mounted upon the frame, a brack et carried by the plate and comprising a notched bar and a track parallel to and in alinement with the bar, and an arm pivotally mounted upon the frame and having at its free end a roll normally located between the bar and track in position to be guided by the bar into a notch therein upon angular movement of the plate in one direction and to be guided by the track past the notches upon angular movement of the plate in the opposite direction.

14. A drawing-table comprising a frame, a flat plate pivotally mounted on the frame, a bracket on the plate having a bar having notches therein and a track spaced from and parallel to the notched bar, and an arm one end of which is pivotally mounted upon the frame and the other end of which carries a roll normally located in alinement with the notched bar for engaging one or another of the notches to hold the plate in inclined position.

15. A drawing-table comprising a fixed section, a movable section pivotally mounted thereon, a bar secured to one of the sections and having a series of notches therein, an arm mounted upon the other of the sections for angular movement, a roll carried by the free end of the arm and normally positioned in alinement with the series of notches, means for mounting the roll on the arm to provide for movement of the roll out of alinement with the notches, a track for guiding the roll into a notch, a second track spaced laterally from the bar for guiding the roll past the series of notches, and means for guiding the roll from one track to the other.

16. A drawing-table comprising a frame, a flat plate pivotally mounted upon the frame, a bar carried by the plate and having therein a plurality of notches, an arm pivotally mounted upon the frame and having at its free end notch engaging means, a track extending parallel to the bar and spaced outwardly therefrom operable upon angular movement of the plate in one direction to guide the notch-engaging means past the notches, and a second track extending parallel to and spaced laterally from the bar operable upon angular movement of the plate in the opposite direction to guide the notch-engaging means from one end of the bar to the other.

17. A drawing-table comprising a frame, a plate pivotally mounted upon the frame, a bar carried by the plate and having therein a plurality of notches, an arm pivotally mounted upon the frame and having at its free end a roll for is;

engaging the notches, a track parallel to and spaced from the bar for guiding the roll past one or more notches in the bar as the plate is elevated, and a second track extending parallel to and spaced laterally from the bar for guiding the roll from a position at one end of the bar past the notches to a position at the other end of the bar as the plate is depressed.

18. A drawing-table comprising a frame, a flat plate pivotally mounted upon the frame, a bar carried by the plate and having a plurality of notches therein, a track carried by the plate and extending parallel to the bar, an arm pivotally mounted upon the frame and having at its free end notch-engaging means normally located between the bar and track in position to be guided by the track past one or more of the notches when the plate is elevated or to be guided by the bar into a notch when the plate is depressed, and a second track for guiding the notch-engaging means past the notches from one end of the bar to the other.

19. A drawing-table comprising a fixed section, a movable section pivotally mounted upon the fixed section, one of the sections having a plurality of notches therein, an arm pivotally mounted upon the other of the sections and having at its free end notch-engaging means for securing the movable section selectively in various positions angularly of the fixed section, means operable upon angular movement of the movable section in one direction to guide the notch-engaging means past one or more of the notches, means for holding the notch-engaging means stationary upon arresting the angular movement of the movable section, and means operable upon angular movement of the movable section in the opposite direction to guide the notch-engaging means into a notch.

20. A drawing-table comprising a fixed section, a movable section pivotally mounted upon the fixed section, a bar secured to the movable section and having therein a plurality of notches, a bracket secured to the fixed section, an arm pivotally mounted on the bracket for movement in the plane of the bar and having at its free end notch-engaging means, a track in alinement with and spaced from the bar for guiding the notch-engaging means past one or more of the notches upon angular movement of the movable section in one direction, a friction bearing in the bracket for holding the arm stationary upon initial movement of the movable section in the opposite direction, and a track on the bar for guiding the notch-engaging means into a notch upon a continued angular movement of the movable section.

21. A drawing-table comprising a frame, a movable section mounted at one side of the frame for pivotal movement, the under side of the movable section having notches therein, an arm carried by the frame and arranged selectively to engage the notches for holding the movable section in inclined position, and means for retaining the arm in elevated position upon withdrawal of the arm from a notch.

22. A drawing-table comprising a frame, a fiat plate pivotally mounted on the frame, a bracket mounted upon the plate and having notches, an

arm pivotally mounted on the frame and having means for engaging the notches in the bracket to hold the plate in inclined position, and a friction bearing for holding the arm in elevated position when the arm is disengaged from the bracket.

23. A drawing-table comprising a frame, a plate pivotally mounted on the frame, an arm pivotally mounted on the frame and having a roll adapted to engage notches in the under side of the plate for holding the latter in elevated position, and frictional means for holding the arm stationary to permit relative movement of withdrawal of the arm from the notches.

24. A drawing-table comprising a frame, a plate pivotally mounted on the frame and having on its under side a bracket, means for supporting the plate in various positions of inclination comprising an arm pivotally mounted on the frame for engaging the plate in its various positions, a track carried by the bracket and having notches therein, a roll carried by the arm adapted to be engaged by one or another of the notches thereby to hold the plate in elevated position, a bar carried by the bracket parallel to and spaced from the track for engaging the roll to guide it past the notches as the plate is elevated, a track parallel to the first-mentioned track for engaging the roll to guide it past the notches as the plate is lowered, and means for holding the arm stationary as the plate is moved in disengaging the roll from the notches.

25. A drawing-table comprising a fixed section, a plate pivotally mounted upon the fixed section, a bar secured to the plate and having therein a series of notches, an arm pivotally mounted upon the fixed section and having at its free end a roll mounted for movement laterally of the arm and adapted to engage one or another of the notches to hold the plate selectively in various inclined positions relatively to the fixed section, a track in aliinement with and spaced outwardly from the bar for guiding the roll past one or more of the notches upon angular movement of the plate in one direction, a track on the bar for guiding the roll to a notch upon angular movement of the plate in the opposite direction, a track parallel to and spaced laterally from the bar for guiding the roll from a position be yond the notch at one end of the series of notches to a position beyond the notch at the other end of the series of notches, and means for holding the arm stationary upon movement of the plate in a direction to disengage the roll from a track.

HARRY E. DOW. 

